Mastoid headrest and clamp



Feb. 18, 1930. D M GHRIST 1,747,434

MASTOID HEADREST AND CLAMP Filed Aug. 15 1927 Patented Feb. 18, 1930 mm esr es DAVID M. GHBIST, OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA ItI-ASTOID HEADBEST AND CLAMP Application filed. August 15, 1927. Serial No. 212,931.

This invention relates to a head rest and clamp for use in X-ray apparatus in the making of Boentgenograms.

An object of the invention is to provide a head rest and clamp which is especially applicable for use in conjunction with a Buckey- Potter diaphragm of either curved or flat type, and to provide a construction whereby a head rest and clamp may be fitted and affixed to such diaphragms of various sizes.

Another object is to provide a head rest and clamp so constructed and operable as to hold the head of a person in position to make Roentgenograms of the right and left mastoids.

Another object is to provide a head rest and clamp attachment for Buckey-Potter diaphragms and the like, which will facilitate the production of comparative stereoplates of the right and left mastoids for use in diagnosis of diseased conditions.

Another object is to provide a head rest and clamp which'may be readily applied and adjusted to the head of thesubj ect, and which when applied will serve to securelyhold the head in a fixed position.

A further object is to provide a head rest and clamp of the above character which is simple in construction, and which may be easily and quickly operated.

' WVith the foregoing objects in View, together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear the invention resides generally in the provision of a base suit able for attachment to a Buckey-Potter, diaphragm or the like, together with head engaging means carried by the base, also formed and operable as to enable clamping of the head in position to make Boentgenogram exposures of either the right or leftmastoids; the invention further residing in the parts, and in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated by way of example in v the accompanying drawingsin which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the head clamp showing it as positioned 1n making an exposure of the left mastoid;

Fig.v 2 is a view in side elevation of the head clamp positioned as shown in Fig. 1, and 1ndicating in dotted lines the head engaging clamps asdlsposed 1n making an exposure of the right mastoid; and also showing in dotted lines the grid and photographic plate with which the head clamp is associated;

Fig. 3 is a view in cross section as seen on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings more specifically A indicates the base of the device, and B and C designate a pair of head clamping blades which are carried on a bar 5 supported on a standard 6 erected on base A.

The base embodies a frame, D, preferably formed of cast aluminum, which frame inand the intermediate portion of the panel seating on the rib 10 and its lateral extensions 10. This panel'll constittes a head rest.

The standard 6 projects upwardly from the intermediate rib 10 at a point to locatethe standard centrally of the top panel. The bar 5 is supported-in a bore formed in the upper end portion of the standard and is fixedly held in place by a screw 12 with thebar projecting equidistant on opposite sides of the standard and extending transversely of the base in parallel spaced relation thereto. 7 The head clamping blades Band C are formed of thin slightly flexible and resilient sheet material and are arranged with their broad dimensions extending at right angles to the panel 11; the blades being rigidly affixed to the sleeves 18 and 14 respectively which are freely slidable on the bar 5 so that they may be readily shifted longitudinally of the bar and also be pivotally supported thereon whereby the blades B and C may be adjusted in various spaced relations to each other and also be projected from either side of the bar to extend toward either end of the-base and head rest panel. o

Spring eyelets-15 and 16 are aifixed to the I ends of the bar to provide stops which serve to prevent the sleeves from becoming inadvertently-detached from the bar the eyelets being detachable to permit removal of the sleeves and blades whenso desired.

The panel 11 is formed adjacenteaoh end, thereof with ear receiving openings 17 and 18; the opening 17 being shaped to'receive the'right ear, and the, opening 18 being shaped'to receive the left ear. These open-.

- ings ser'veto positionrthe headof thesubject in relation'to the devicewhich in turn-is de I i'signed to properly position the head relatively toa Roentgen-ray tube arranged there- 'above and tea photographic pla'tefE arrangedbeneath a-grid F- of the type known as "a Buckey-Potter diaphragm OIl'WhlCh the head clamping device seats.

As a means for efiecting attachment of the 'baseto the frame of the gridand to adapt it for securement to grids of various sizes the base is formed with lugs 19 and 20 projecting from' the end members 8 and 9, which lugs may be engaged by any suitable clamping device connectingwith the grid frame.

7 The clamping blade B is designed to be positioned against the back of the head rest- 7 ingsideways on the panel 11, and the blade I ."C is designed to be positioned against the face I as indi'cated in Fig. 1." For thep'urposeof V 1 insuringpositioning of the head horizontally r the blade C is formed with a nose receiving opening'21 whichopening cooperates with the ear receiving opening in the head" rest in holding theheadin' the desiredposition between the source of rays and the photo graphic plate A'rra'ngedb'eneath thepanel and extending transversely thereof is 'a' rectangular shield'22 which is "formed of material imper- 'vious to the Roentgen rays,such as lead;

the shield 22being of such width and so arranged that its side inargins will extend contiguous'to yet be spaced from the ear receiving openings 17 and 18, anolbeing of such length as to underlie-the full width of the panel ll iand project beyond the rear-edge of such size and is so arranged beneath'the-head clamp shield that'but one half thereof will i be exposedto the rays at one time.

The shield 22 is held in place by means of a supporting plate 23, formed of sheet metal,

which plate is secured at one end to the flange and projecting beneath the shield hasits -.intoa seated position on the panel 11. The

5 plate 2.5 projectslfrom the. lower margin of the flange diagonally to the opposite edge of "rays from the other half of the plate.

the head rest panel transversely'thereoi at an angle'of approximately fifteen degrees relatively to the panel so that when the base is positioned withthe plate 23 seating onthe grid the top surface of the panel will extend at an angle of fifteen degrees to the horizontal'whereby the head supported on r the rest will be inclinedlaterallyto position theright and left mastoids out of vertical alignment with each other and with the Roentgen tube which is disposed on a vertical plane extending centrally of the ear receiving openingor approximately centrally'of the lower mastoid'of a head seating on th 7 panel. 7 a

In the operation of the invention, the base A is secured in place on the grid F, and the I head clamping blades B andvC arefspaced apart as shown in dotted lines in Fig 1;

whereupon the subject lays his head sideways-- on the panel l1 between the. blades B and C with the ear extending into one of the ear re- Ceiving openings 17 "or 18;

- The blade B is then positioned. 15'0" abut against the back ofthe head, which is effected cated in Fig. 1; the blades being pressed'sufi ciently tight against the head to securelyhold f it in place. Movement of the sleeves 13 and pressure imposed r on theblades acting to clamp the sleeves in frictional engagement with the bar 5. The head'will thus be'firmly held against' movement :On directing-the Roentgen rays downwardly froma tube (not 5 shown) v arranged above the head, an" exposure will be made on the halfportion of the; plate E extending beneath the unshielded '14 will then be-inhibited by reason of the portion of the base,thej shield 22 excluding 'Roentgenogram exposure of the right or left mastoidwill thus be made accordingto side of the face presented to the plate. It will be observed that slidably supporting the blades B and C on the bar 5 as shown the by grasping the sleeves carryingthe blades their supporting bar.

In employing the device for makingicomparative stereoplates of the'right and left mastoids, it is arranged for example, as opposite end bent around and over the shield I a a on one half of a plate E with theleftside of a the face restingonthe panel 11, and with the shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and exposure is made rays directed from the-tube atanangle of blades may be readily shifted independently of each other to various relative positions of various sizes. Quick shiftingof the blades 2 may be efi ected either in: applying same to the head or in efiecting'release ofthe head merely and" pushing, pulling pr: turning them on ten degrees from vertical toward the top of the head. After making such exposure the plate E is removed and a second plate E put in its place whereupon the lamp is shifted about two and one half inches so as to direct the rays at an angle of approximately fifteen degrees from vertical toward the top of the head and exposure is madeon one half of the second plate. In this manner exposure is made of the left mastoid on one half of each of the two plates. 7

The base A is then reversed end for end and the blades B and C are swung to the opposite side of the bar 5 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The head of the subject is then placed in position with the right side of the face on the panel; the right ear then being engaged in the opening 17. The head is then clamped between the blades as before, and exposure is made on the unexposed half of the first plate with the rays projected at an angle of fifteen degrees from the vertical which provides this plate with an exposure of both the right and left mastoids. The tube is then restored to the ten degree position and an exposure is made on the unexposed half of the second plate which provides this plate with exposures of both the right and left mastoids.

It will now be seen that by the use of my invention, the production of comparative stereo Roentgenograms is greatly facilitated and that accuracy in proper positioning of the head relatively to the source of rays and the photographic plate will be insured.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention I do not limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement shown but may employ such modifications thereof as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a head clamp, a panel having an ear receiving opening, and a pair of head engaging blades adapted to extend astride the head of a person resting sideways on said panel. j

.2. In a head clamp, a panel having an ear receiving opening, and a pair of head engaging blades adapted to extend astride the head of a person resting sideways on said panel, and a base adapted to support said panel to position the latter at an inclination transversely.

3. In a head clamp, a panel having an ear receiving opening, and a pair of head engaging blades adapted to extend astride the head of a person resting sideways on said panel; one of said blades being adapted to abut against the back of the head, and the other of said blades being adapted to abut against the face; said last named blade being formed with a nose receiving opening.

4:. In a head clamp, a panel having an ear receiving opening, a pair of head engaging blades adapted to extend astride the head of a person resting sideways on said panel; one of said blades being adapted to 'abutagainst the back of the head, and the other of said blades being adapted to abut against the'face;

said last named blade being formed with a nose receiving opening, and means whereby said blades may be disposed in various spaced relations to each other and to the'earreceiving opening. r

5. In ahead clamp, ahead rest formed with a right ear engaging opening and a left'ear engaging opening, a pair of spaced head engaging blades pivotally supported between said openings and operable to be positioned to extend toward either of said openings and to be spaced various distances apart. I

6. In a head clamp, a head rest formed with a right ear engaging opening and a left ear engagin opening, a pair of spacedhead engaging blades pivotally supported between said openings and operable to be positioned'to extend toward either of saidopenings and to be spaced various distances apart; one of saidblades being formed with a nose receivin opening. a j w 7. In a head clamp, a panel, a standard extending upwardly from said panel, a bar on said standard projecting laterally from opposite sides thereof, a pair of sleeves slidable longitudinally of and turnable on said bar, and a blade fixed on each of said sleeves, said panel being formed with an ear receiving opening and one of said blades being formed with a nose receiving opening.

8. In a head clamp, a panel formed with an ear receiving opening adjacent each end thereof, a standard extending upwardly from said panel intermediate said openings, a bar on said standard projecting laterally from opposite sides thereof transversely of the panel, and a pair of blades pivotally supported on said bar for extension therefrom toward either end of said panel and operable to be disposed in various positions longitudinally of said rod. 7

9. A head clamp'comprising a base, a shield impervious to Roentgen rays carried by said base,- a head rest on said base having a pair of ear receiving openings between which said shield extends, and means carried on said base operable to clamp a head on said rest in alternate positions, first with one ear engaged in one ofsaid openings then with the other ear engaged in the other of said openlugs.

10. In a head clamp, a head rest panel formed adjacent each end thereof with an ear receiving opening, a bar extending transversely of said panel intermediate said openings and supported above said panel in spaced relation thereto, and a pair of head clamping blades slidably carried on said bar for independent movement in relation to each other; each of said blades being mounted to" men-4e4- rertieally akial y of S id bar, be? 'e ing shiftable' longitudinally of'the bar,

1 '11; Ina head clamp, mean fer engaging a the ear of a person, means c nnect d to ai I 5 eanBngagirigmeahe engageable with the nose of a person, and. means. cooperating with aid lastxn'amed-means to clamp a head Qfa p rson.'. 1

12.- Ina head clamp, a frame h v ng-a fm side member, and end members, a head snpporting panel a ixed to said f ame hai i g earrecelving open ngs, PIQJGCtiOHS, O L Sa d "end' members extending beyond; theend'margins of said panel for attaehmentto a support; and means for'clampingthe head of a person resting on said panel. 1 a a v. 13. In a head clamp, frame having a side 7 member, and end members, a; head Supporting p; 1.ne1 fafiixed tosaid frame having ear re ce1v1-ng openings, projections on said-"end members extending beyond the end margins v of said'panel for attaehmentlvto a support,

'means ifor Clamping the; headfof a person resting on said panel; said frame being formed to support said panel at an inclination to the horizontal.

testimony er of, I aifi ed y signature. h V a V v a DAVID GHRIST. 

